USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > Woodbridge > An Educational History Of The School District of Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey 1666 - 1933 > Part 15
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At the August 2 meeting of the Board, Mr. Thomas Murray, cashier of the Woodbridge National Bank, made an offer for the purchase of the several bond issues, ag- gregating $255,000 at par and accrued interest. No bids having been received in reply to publio advertisement regarding
1 Minute Book, Board of Education
2 Ibid
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their sale, the offer was unanimously accepted.
Transportation contracts were awarded as follows:
"For the school year ending June 1927.
William Brinkman -- Locust Grove, Colonia
Route l. . $1750
George Hagadorn ... New Dover to Colonia
Route 2.
800
John Vereb.
. Iselin and Woodbridge
Route 3. .
1500
A. F. Montecalvo .. Avenel to Woodbridge
Route 4.
1250
Anthony Zullo.
. . Schools 8, 10 and 7 to
Woodbridge
Route 5. 2000 A. Cerbo & Son .... Schools 8, 10 and 7 to
Woodbridge
Route 6.
1860" -- 1
Under the new law allowing teachers to attend the an- nual convention of the State Teachers' Association without loss of salary for any school day necessary for the purpose, a number of teachers, upon their request, received permis- sion from the Board to be absent. The amount paid for sub- stitutes was refunded to them by the Board of Education.
The athletic department of the schools continued to re- ceive the support of the Trustees, and a sum of $360 was as- signed to it for the purchase of uniforms and equipment.
The year ended with much building in progress and the budget for the following year in preparation.
On January 17, 1927, death struck once more at the School Board for it took away Mr. John A. Lahey who had 1. Minutes - Bd. of Education
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been appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Alexander Walker. Mr. Lahey, in his short connection with the Board, had displayed many qualities that had pointed him out as a valuable member. A college man, broad in his views, open to conviction and possessing a quiet charm of manner that made him very approachable, the schools, in his death, lost a good and kind friend.
For a number of years it had been the policy of the Board to centralize its upper grades as much as possible. This had been done by grouping the elementary schools in Keasbey, Hopelawn, and Fords into one section known as the South Side, and the remaining schools into a section know as the North Side. The eighth grade students were trans- ported to one school in each section as a center; on the South Side this school was No. 7, and on the North Side, the Woodbridge School No. 1. As the school population in- creased, instead of building additions to some of these schools, the seventh grades were pushed out of them and cen- tralized with the eighth grades.
An attempt was made by petitions to break up this plan, but each time a petition was presented, the Board held fast to its policy of centralization.
Under pressure from continued requests from the tea- chers, another change was made in the salary schedule for
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their benefit as follows:
"Moved and carried: all voting in the affirmative -- that the maximum salary for all teachers from Kindergarten to 6th grade inclusive be $1800; that a super-Maximum be given after twenty years' service of $2000, and an extra super-maximum of $2500 per annum be granted after twenty-five years ser- vice, and that the maximum salary for the 7th and 8th grades be $2500 and that no increase will be granted any lady teachers who marry while in ser- vice. " -- 1
For the school year, 1927-28, one teacher met the re- quirements for the $2500, and in 1928-29, when this sched- ule became effective, another teacher reached this extra super-figure.
Although such action on the part of a Board is very commendable, the total salary list of any schools under such requirements as set up in Woodbridge is little af- fected, because there are so few teachers who could be ex- pected to reach such a high point of remuneration. The few who do, are certainly worth it, if only from the standpoint of years of service, and it is reasonable also to suppose that there would be few years left for them to enjoy it.
There is at least one good feature about high maximums and super-maximums, and that is the excellent advertising for the school system.
1 Minute Book, Board of Education.
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At the meeting of the Board on July 18, Miss Jane Low, on the recommendation of the Teachers' Committee, was ap- pointed to the newly-created position of Primary Supervi- sor.
The erection of the new school, No. 15, at Iselin, followed by the redistribution of the pupils between the two buildings in that community, enabled the two portables there to be discarded. An increase in the enrollment at Avenel, No. 4, was met by moving the buildings to the rear of that school where they are still in use. (1933).
Improved methods of instruction in the high school made it necessary to provide better library facilities for the students. The old "study hall" was fitted up with proper school library furniture, together with necessary equipment to accommodate about one hundred students per period. Miss Harriet Breckenridge, the first person to be appointed to the important position of full-time School Librarian, was succeeded by Miss Grace C. Huber who has continued the excellent work commenced by her predecessor. At the present time there are 3000 volumes in the library, and additions are constantly being made.
On December 15, 1927, the local Board of Health re- quested the Trustees to cooperate with them in administer- ing the toxin-antitoxin treatment to the school children
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for the prevention of diphtheria. Dr. McDonald, who was present at the meeting, explained the use and value of the treatment. The Health Committee of the Board was then directed to meet with the mayor and health officials of the township at a conference on the subject to be held on December 19. No satisfactory arrangements could be made regarding the division of the cost of the proposition be- tween the township and the school officials so the whole project was dropped.
In 1928, the residents of the Rahway Park section of Avenel petitioned the Board for school accommodations and for better transportation facilities to the Avenel school. The matter was referred to a committee for investigation. Later, the transportation was improved but the school sug- gestion was tabled.
Hopelawn was now demanding additional school facili- ties, and a special meeting of the township voters was called for March 6 to authorize the Board to erect a four- room addition to the school in that section at a cost not to exceed $45,000, and also to authorize a four-room ad- dition to the Barron Avenue High School at a total cost, including furniture and equipment, of $25,000. All the propositions presented were carried.
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Radios now became a part of school equipment in the high school as one was purchased, largely through the ef- forts of the students.
Special office equipment now began to be introduced in the high school, commencing with the purchase of a comptometer for use in the commercial department of the school.
For some time it had been recognized that a suitable athletic field should be provided for the use of the high school teams, but although much time and labor had been spent by a special committee appointed to look for a field, no satisfactory place could be found. In June of this year, a conference was held with a representative of the Wood- bridge Speedway Company, and arrangements were made for the use of their property by the high school for athletic pur- poses. Some time later, the Board authorized the expend !- ture of a few hundred dollars to place the grounds in condi- tion and the Speedway became the official athletic field. The high school football team first used the field for the season of 1932.
The high school salary schedule was now revised and the following schedule adopted unanimously:
"The minimum salary for inexperienced teachers .. $1700
No minimum for experienced teachers
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"Yearly increments to be: At the end of the 1st year $100 At the end of the 2nd year. 150 At the end of the 3rd year. 200 and thereafter $200 per year until the maximum is reached.
"The maximum salary shall be. 3500 per year. All salary increases shall be based entirely on efficiency. Recommendations for salary increases shall be made by the super- vising principal and the school principals in conference.
"This sohedule shall not be retroactive. It shall be applicable the next school without reference to the old schedule. " -- 1
It was also provided that in the elementary grades the annual increment of $100 should continue until the super-maximum of $2500 was reached. It was provided, too, that the salaries of teachers who had reached the $1800 maximum previously fixed, should commence to increase again from that point at $100 per year up to the $2500. At the same time it was agreed that salaries f principals should increase as per the high school schedule, including married female principals.
On May 13, 1929, Messrs. Howell, Filer, and Ensign, the Building Committee on the Sewaren addition, having reported the need of further finances owing to an error in the previous estimate given, a special meeting of the district voters was ordered to authorize the Board to raise the further sum of $26,000 to complete the building.
It had been customary previously for teachers and principals to be paid their salaries in ten equal install-
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ments coinciding with the school year, September to June, but a request from the principals to be paid by the cal- endar month was received and granted on June 10.
Miss Marion Lockwood, the school nurse, resigned be- cause she had been appointed to a better position else- where.
At this same meeting, the sum of $800 was appropri- ated for athletic purposes in the township.
Iselin, No. 15, had now become so crowded that at the meeting on July 15, the Board authorized the purchase of a two-room portable at a cost of $5390.
The recently organized band had created so much in- terest that an appropiration of $800 for musical instru- ments and music was readily granted at the same meeting.
At the invitation of the Board, Dr. Allan G. Ireland of the State Health Department, attended the Board meeting on August 12 and gave an instructive address on school- nurse activities, and also advised the Board to employ two nurses instead of one. In accordance with this advice, Miss Henrietta Koyen and Miss Rose Nash were appointed school nurses for the ensuing school year at salaries of $1800 each, and automobiles were provided for their trans- portation.
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At the October 21 meeting, an appropriation of $200 Was granted for township physical training purposes. An- other progressive step in music was taken by the appoint- ment of Mr. Theodore Hoops as bandmaster for two days per week.
So many demands were being made for the use of the auditoriums and gymnasiums in the township, that the fol- lowing resolution was presented by a special committee and passed unanimously :
"That all auditoriums and gymnasiums be charged for at prices specified on past minutes, excepting to such organizations specifically exempted on such minutes and no deviation be made from such ruling. The rates to be charged are as follows:
High School Auditorium. $50
n
N
and cafeteria. 50
H
M gymnasium 50
M
and
cafeteria. . .
60
H Cafeteria. 25
Gymnasium. 25
All other school auditoriums 20
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At the annual school elections held February 11, 1930, the Board was authorized to purchase a plot of land on the south side of School No. 11, at a price not to exceed $21,000 on which to erect an addition.
On April 28, the request of Mr. Isaac Gilhuly, a teacher in the high school who had many years' service, to permit him to retire at the closing of the school year was granted.
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In order to give the pupils at Fords, No. 7, better facilities for manual training and household arts, Mr. J. K. Jensen was directed to draw plans for a brick addition at the rear of the building for that purpose.
When the Board met on June 30, the meeting was called to order by the president and, on motion, adjourned for one week out of respect to the memory of Mr. Benjamin Walling, a member of the Board who had recently died. He was first elected to the Board on March 20, 1917, and had served continuously since. Very few public servants give freely the amount of time that Mr. Walling gave to his duties as Chairman of the Repair and Supply Committee of the Board of Education. His knowledge of business methods was of great service to the Board and made him peculiarly efficient in the discharge of his Board duties. The com- munity lost a valuable and worthy citizen in the death of Mr. Walling.
At the suggestion of the supervising principal, the Trustees adopted the policy of appointing non-teaching principals for schools having eight or more class rooms. The expense of this was met partly by abolishing the office of primary supervisor.
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The vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Walling was now filled by the appointment of Mr. Ernest Moffett, a man of college training and an old Woodbridge graduate, the second graduate of the local school to receive that honor, the other being Mr. Roy Anderson.
During the past school year, the two school nurses had cooperated with the B. P. O. E. of Rahway in their "Crippled Kiddies Campaign" and a communication was re- ceived from that organization by the Board commending the excellent work done by the nurses.
When the School Board met on October 6, the super- vising principal presented an interesting chart based on a school census taken under his direction. The discus- sion that followed, resulted in the presentation of a re- solution by Mr. M. P. Dunigan, calling for additional school accommodations at School 11 consisting of twelve class rooms to cost, together with furniture and other necessary equipment, a sum not to exceed $140,000. Also a second resolution was passed, that a special meeting of the voters be called for October 28 to authorize the Board to proceed with the work.
When a delegation of citizens from the Strawberry Hill section appeared before the Board on October 20, and requested a school for that part of the school district, they were assured that their request would be presented
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to the voters in February of the next year.
The special election for October 28 was held and the resolution of the Board, regarding an addition to No. 11, was passed unanimously.
In the interests of the high school athletic depart- ment, the president of the Board appointed Mr. Mark McClain, Mr. E. C. Ensign, Mr. A. C. Ferry, Mr. H. M. Benkert (ath- letic coach), and Mr. M. P. Dunigan as an Advisory Com- mittee.
On January 19, economic conditions in the township had become very bad and were reflected in the condition of many of the school children. Relief measures, undertaken by the Red Cross and the township authorities, were sup- ported by voluntary contributions of $2.00 each month from each teacher for a period of three months, commencing in January.
History began to repeat itself when the following re- solution was submitted to the Board on January 19:
"Resolved that at the annual election to be held on February 10, 1931, the fol- lowing proposale shall be submitted to the legal voters of the district, and that the same shall be stated in the notices of the election. "
The first proposal was to authorize the Board to pur- chase a plot of land on Strawberry Hill on which to erect a school for the sum of $20,000. The second proposal was
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to authorize the Board to erect a six-room building on the plot which, together with furniture and other necessary equipment, should not exceed a cost of $70,000. Both pro- posals were approved by the voters. Mr. J. K. Jensen was appointed as architect to draw plans for the new school and Mr. James Filer, Mr. Willard Dunham, and Mr. Mark Mc- Clain were appointed as a Building Committee.
Again history repeated itself when the Board assigned the number "three" to the proposed new school, this number being the one that used to designate the old Rahway Neck School. Contracts for the Strawberry Hill School were a- warded April 28, and Miss Mildred Bettman was elected as principal of the school to assume her duties when the building was completed.
On September 21, the Chairman of the Building Committee, having charge of the addition to School No. 11, reported that the school was ready for opening.
The question of defining the district lines for the new school on Strawberry Hill now came up and the boundaries were fixed as follows:
"All of Second Street; all of Fulton Street south of Second Street; all of Cutter's Land; Amboy Avenue to Second Street, and all of Bunn's Lane. " -- 1
1 Minutes of Board of Education.
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On December 21, 1931, a letter was received from the Manufacturers' Association of Woodbridge, requesting the Board to take steps to reduce school expenses for the com- ing year. The clerk of the Board was directed to notify the Association that every effort would be made to meet their request.
A letter was also received from the township Teachers' Association notifying the Board that they were willing to cooperate with them in their efforts to reduce school ex- penses by relinquishing the scheduled salary increments for the ensuing year.
In 1932, the nation-wide, and also world-wide finan- cial depression which had followed the great stock market debacle of 1929 was being reflected in the schools all over the country. Many citizens and industrial plants were un- able to pay their taxes, resulting in a great shortage of school funds. Taxpayers'associations were being organized - in practically every municipality for the purpose of in- fluencing municipal budgets. In some communities, "scrip" began to be used in whole or in part, to pay teachers' salaries. Legislation was being demanded to give govern- ing bodies the power to reduce salaries without which, be- cause of the Tenure of Office Act, it could not be done. School matters in general were getting into a chaotic con-
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dition and Woodbridge township was hit harder than many others because of debt service and non-payment of taxes.
Budget-slashing began to be the order of the day and Woodbridge School Board was no exception. At the first meeting in the new year, the budget for the coming year was discussed, but little progress was made. At the meet- ing January 11, 1932, the Board received a visit from the township principals, and various economies, particularly in regard to salary cuts, were taken up. A vote of the members was then taken on the question of asking the township tea- chers to take a salary reduction of 8 1/3% for the ensuing year, all voting in the affirmative. The principals then retired after notifying the Board that the officials of the Teachers' Association would be informed, and requested to bring the matter before the teaching body at the earliest moment.
On January 15, at the meeting of the Board of Education, the following letter was received from the Teachers' Associa- tion:
"The township Teachers' Association, at a meeting held on Tuesday afternoon, January 12, 1932, rejected the proposal to donate to the township, a sum equal to one-twelfth of each monthly check. The following is a report of the ballot:
Total number of votes cast. 193
Votes "No". 191
Votes "Yes". 1 Votes "Rejected" 1
Total. 193"
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Another meeting of the Teachers' Association was held Monday, Jaunary 18, at which the following resolu- tions were passed:
"Be it resolved by the Teachers' Associa- tion of Woodbridge township that, to assist the Board of Education in their efforts to reduce the school budget for the school year of 1932-33, the following plan be adopted:
1. The employees of the township Board of Education, including teachers, clerks, nurses, custodian, etc., be divided into four groups as fol- lows, determined by the contractual salary received:
Group 1. $1200 $1800 # 2. 1825 2400
= 3. 2425 3000
4. . . . . 3025 and up
2. That the employees in Group 1 contri- bute $4.00 per month for ten months, commencing September, 1932. That the employees in Group 2 contri- bute $6.00 per month, etc ... That the employees in Group 3 contri- bute $8.00 per month, etc ... That the employees in Group 4 contri- bute $10.00 per month, eto ....
"And be it further resolved that the contri- bution is understood to be entirely voluntary on the part of the employees, and in no way considered a reduction in salary and shall not be construed in any way as interfer ing with the provisions of the Tenure of Office Act.
"And be it further resolved that the teachers and other employees receive their full salary check according to contract, and the donation aforesaid be returned by the individual em- ployee to the Board of Education and accredit- ed to the proper accounts.
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"Be it further resolved that we look with disfavor upon the matter of comparison of contributions for this purpose among the various township employee groups; and that such groups shall act as their res- pective members see fit, and that in no- wise shall responsibility for their act be placed upon the employees of the Board of Education. This action on the part of the teachers is not contingent upon the contribution of any other municipality em- ployed group. " -- 1
This offer on the part of their employees was unani- mously accepted by the Board.
When the annual school election took place in Feb- ruary, the manual training item was defeated, and accord- ing to school law another election was called for the pur- pose of revoting on this question. The special election was held and the manual training amount was approved.
This being the Bi-Centennial Year of the birth of George Washington, great preparations had been made by the Federal Authorities for its observance. Programs suitable for the occasion were given in thousands of schools all over the country and Woodbridge schools did their part. Every school room in the township had received from Wash- ington, D. C., a handsome lithograph of "The Father of His Country." Special programs were prepared in every school and several complete mimeographed copies were made, bound in book from, and filed in the high school library for preservation. The Board of Education received invitations
1 Minutes of Board of Education.
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to attend these exercises and many members did so.
In line with the polloy of the Board to acquire school proporties, the Custodian of School Funds was Instructed by the Board on April 4, to pay Nicholas Lannle $6500 for the plot of land at the rear of and adjoining Avenel School with the first funds available. The purchase of this pro- perty had been approved previously by the voters.
Ur. Louis E. Meyer, township attendance officer died and Mr. N. P. Jensen succeeded him. Mr. Meyer was a kind, sympathetic man of high ideals and performed his duties in a very efficient manner. He appreciated the responsibility of his position and cooperated to the fullest extent with the administration. The Board lost a valuable employee in his death and the community a good citizen.
At the Board meeting on May 24, the supervising princi- pal reported the probability of a large increase in the high school enrollment for 1932-33, basing his prediction upon the effects of the prevailing business depression and the very large enrollment in the eighth grades. The situation was so evident that the Board decided to ereot a frame Annex of five rooms at the rear of the high school building at a cost not to exceed $10,000, including the necessary equip- ment. Mr. J. K. Jensen, architect, was directed to draw plans and submit then for consider tion. The plans met with
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the approval of the Trustees and during the summer, the building was erected and completed for less than $9000, the cost being paid from the repair fund.
The peak of school appropriations had been reached in the school budget for 1932 when the taxpayers were called upon to provide $551, 459.58 for school purposes.
Many persons and industries not being able to pay their taxes, a considerable portion of the school moneys could not be collected. The effect of this was felt heavily in the schools in the curtailing of supplies of all kinds and much delay in payment of salaries when they became due. However, when the school year ended in June, all salary payments had been met in full.
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IDGE HIGH
800OM
1932
SCHOOL
WOODBRIDGE
W. H. S. Bund - 1932 Leader- MR Theodore Hoops. W. H.S.BAND 1932 Leader - Mr. Theodore Hoe, us.
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CHAPTER XV Summary SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION ENDS
School budgets began to increase rapidly.
The Board votes more time for the special subjects in the school curriculum.
A new school at Woodbridge and an addition to Fords authorized by the voters May 27, 1919.
School nurse appointed and a salary bonus granted to teachers to become effective January 1, 1920.
Mr. Fred Shotwell succeeds Mr. O. P. Butterwick as principal of the high school.
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